A 73-year-old man has moved to the High Court seeking to have his son pay him 20 per cent of his monthly salary as upkeep.
Gideon Kisira Cherowo, a resident of Birunda in Saboti sub-county told the Kitale High Court that he has sacrificed a lot for his son Washington Chepkombe Cherowo, 48, by educating him.
“I used all the resources I had to enable the defendant to be in a good position so that he can help us. Right now, my wife and I are in a horrible state yet we have a son who is working. I pray that since the defendant has a good salary, I request for 20 per cent of his salary to be given to me as the father,” Mzee Cherowo said in the court papers.
File image of Mzee Gideon Kisira Cherowo. |Courtesy| Nation|
Speaking to Nation, he revealed that his son works at the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) but did not divulge what he does or how long he has worked there.
“I have tried several times since 2008 to seek assistance from my son (the defendant), but all in vain,” Mzee Cerowo said.
He told the publication that of his four sons, Chepkombe is the only one gainfully employed.
“I sold my land in Cheptais, Bungoma, to educate him from primary to university. I also gave him a quarter of an acre. I even went ahead to pay dowry for the defendant’s wife, which cost me four cows and some amount of money, whose sum I cannot recall,” Mzee Cherowo told the court.
According to Nation, the civil suit which is dated November 17, was drawn and filed by Mzee Cherowo, and not an advocate of the High Court, as is usually the case.
He attached a witness statement from Chepkombe's brother, David Masyek Cherowo.
In his statement, Masyek stated that his brother should cater for their parents.
“The defendant deserted his parents after he got a job. It is now 17 years since we saw him. He does not come or send any assistance to us. We are leading a very horrible life after the defendant consumed the very thing our father had, so as to take him to school,” he said.
Mzee Cherowo lives in a one-roomed house on a three-quarters an acre piece of land in Bungoma. He also has a two-roomed mud house where he uses one of the rooms as a kitchen.
His case could break new grounds as normally, upkeep is reserved for children under the age of 18.
It is not clear to what extent the law compels people in taking care of their parents.
